Can openers



R. M. LACEY June 28, 1955 CAN OPENERS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 25, 1953 In? EAYMnNn .LABEY ATTUPNEY R. M. LACEY 2,711,581

CAN OPENERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 28, 1955 Filed Aug. 25, 1955 H a of III "I" 2 I Flll 10 P1 a w H INVENTUR EAYMuNn M. LABEY ATT DRNEY CAN OPENERS Raymond M. Lacey, Rochester, N. Y.

Application August 25, 1953, Serial No. 376,329

7 Claims. (Cl. 30-15) This invention relates to can openers, and more particularly to a manually actuated cutter feed mechanism therefor.

The present invention relates to a can opener having structure adapted to positively locate a cylindrical can during a cutting operation, adapted to sever the end disk of a can immediately within the rim thereof. The invention is further directed to a manually actuated drive mechanism for initially piercing the can cover and progressively thereafter feeding and severing the same by moving the can against the cutter. Other features of the invention are directed to a handy can opener of rugged construction employing few parts, the device being adapted for one hand manipulation.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the can opener;

Figure 2 is a somewhat enlarged plan view with parts broken away to illustrate the mechanism;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a perspective fragmentary view of an auxiliary can opener detail.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a main frame member 10 comprising spaced plates 12 and 14 which may be formed integral with a back or web member 16, the structure forming a generally U- sectioned channel or frame. The frame 10 is extended at one end to form a channel handle or grip 18, such grip having palm-engaging grip faces 20, 22, and 24. The top plate 12 is offset as at 26 to provide a shoulder or face 28 adapted to engage the end rim of a can. The plate also is provided with a raised platform portion 30 to which is secured a cutting knife 32 and a lower deck portion 34 having along its longitudinal edge a flange 36 adapted to act as a rest or guide for the cylindrical side wall of a can.

Pivotally secured between the plates 12 and 14 at a point remote from the handle 18, is a lever and hand grip member 38, the shank portion 40 of which is of channel section and pivotally mounted between the plates 12 and 14 upon a pivot pin 42. The extremity of the lever 38 is provided with a hand grip having palm-engaging grip faces 44, 46 and 48.

There is journaled in the plate 14 as at 50 an end of a shaft 52 which projects upwardly through the deck portion 34 and carries on its upper end a knurled feed disk nited States Patent 0 2,711,581 Patented June 28, 1955 54. The feed disk 54 is rigidly aflixed to the shaft 52. Also aflixed to the shaft 52 and located between the plate 14 and the deck 34 is a ratchet drive gear 56. The shaft is also provided with a spacer sleeve 58 to hold the shaft against axial movement. There is pivotally attached to the lever 38 a ratchet drive member 60, such member being of U-section, the side flanges 62 and 64 of which lie within the flanges 66 and 68 of the lever and are pivotally connected thereto by a pin 70. The web face 72 of the ratchet drive member is provided with a plurality of teeth 74 extending across the entire face thereof, which teeth are adapted to engage the ratchet member 56. A leaf spring 76 extending behind the pivot pin 70 and bearing against the inside web 72 of the ratchet member 60, and the web 78 of the lever 38 acts to resiliently urge the feed member into engagement with the ratchet member 56.

A pin 80 located on the flange 62 of the ratchet feed member is adapted to project upwardly into an aperture 82 in the deck portion 34 to provide means for limiting movement of the lever 38 in one direction by engaging the aperture edge 83. As shown in Figure 5, the grip portion 18 of the frame and the grip portion of the lever portion 38 are resiliently urged apart by a compression coil spring 84, such spring being threaded upon pins 86 and 88 secured to the respective grip portions of the frame and lever. The pins 86 and 88 may be of such length as to limit the movement of the lever 38 in its approach toward the grip portion of the frame.

The upper end of the shaft 52 projects through an inclined slot 90 in the deck portion 34 to provide a slight rocking movement of the shaft 52, so that the feed disk 54 may be moved from the position shown in Figure 2 to a position beneath the tip of the cutting member 32, the axis of the disk being moved into substantially transverse alignment with the point of such cutter when the shaft 52 moves to the right hand end of its travel in the slot 90, as shown in Figure 2. It will thus be seen that upon inserting the end of a can in the space between the feed disk and knife, upon manipulating the grips toward one another to a contracted position, the knurled edge 92 of the feed disk 90 will ride against the under shoulder 94 of the can seam 96 thus positioned, thereby thrusting the can so that the can end will engage the shoulder 28 and force the point of the cutter 32 through the can cover inside of the seam 96 forming the shoulder 94. Further manipulation of the grip members will rotate the ratchet 56 in a counterclockwise direction, whereby the knurled feed disk 54 will rotate the can and particularly the cover thereof against the edge 98 of the cutter 32. Repeated manipulation of the lever 38 toward and away from the grip 18 will cause the can to be rotated and fed so as to effect severance of the can cover along a circle immediately within the can cover seam.

Movement of the ratchet member 56 is restricted to counterclockwise movement through the action of a leaf spring 100 acting as a pawl member, such spring being secured in any desired manner to the frame portion 16 as by a rivet 102.

The frame may be provided, if desired, with various auxiliary elements, such as a bottle opener 104, as may be desired and well understood in the art.

It will be seen that the can opener thus provided is adapted to be gripped in one hand, and by repeated manipulation of the lever action, a can of any size having the usual exterior shoulder beneath the seam may be forced into the cutter initially and thereafter by a continued manipulation, a disk portion will be cut from the cover thereof. 7

While a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A can opener comprising a channel section frame structure having spaced upper and lower plates connected by a back web, said upper plate being offset inwardly adjacent the web edge thereof to provide a shoulder and a deck portion, the latter extending substantially parallel to and in spaced relation to said lower plate, a cutter mounted on said plate between the web and offset, and extending over said deck a distance suflicient to pierce the disk end of a can when a portion of the rim thereof abuts said shoulder, a shaft journaled on the lower plate and projecting through said deck, and having a knurled feed disk on its upper end adapted to engage the under face of a can rim shoulder, said disk being located below the plane of said cutter with the periphery thereof closely adjacent thereto, a guide slot in said upper deck through which said shaft extends providing for movement of the periphery of said disk from a position free of said cutter to a position beneath said cutter, and means for rotating said disk.

2. A can opener comprsing a channel section frame structure having spaced upper and lower plates connected by a back web, said upper plate being offset inwardly adjacent the web edge thereof to provide a shoulder and a deck portion, the latter extending substantially parallel to and in spaced relation to said lower plate, a cutter mounted on said plate between the web and offset, and extending over said deck a distance sufficient to pierce the disk end of a can when a portion of the rim thereof abuts said shoulder, a shaft journaled on the lower plate and projecting through said deck, and having a knurled feed disk on its upper end adapted to engage the under face of a can rim shoulder, said disk being located below the plane of said cutter with the periphery thereof closely adjacent thereto, a guide slot in said upper deck through which said shaft extends providing for movement of the periphery of said disk from a position free of said cutter to a position beneath said cutter, a ratchet wheel mounted on said shaft between said plates, manually reciprocal means mounted on said frame, and a ratchet drive link carried by said means and adapted to engage said ratchet wheel.

3. A can opener comprising a channel section frame structure having spaced upper and lower plates conr nected by a back web, said plates and webs being extended at one end to form a grip, said upper plate being offset inwardly adjacent the web edge thereof to provide a shoulder and a deck portion, the latter extending substantially parallel to and in spaced relation to said lower plate, a cutter mounted on said plate between the Web and offset, and extending over said deck a distance suflicient to pierce the disk end of a can when a portion of the rim thereof abuts said shoulder, a shaft journaled on the lower plate and projecting through said deck, and having a knurled feed disk on its upper end adapted to engage the under face of a can rim shoulder, said disk being located below the plane of said cutter with the peripherythereof closely adjacent thereto, a guide slot in said upper deck through which said shaft extends providing for movement of the periphery of said disk from a position free of said cutter to a position beneath said cutter, a lever pivoted between said plates at the other end, and having a grip extending substantially parallel with and along one side of said first-named grip, and means responsive to oscillatory movement of said lever for rotating said shaft.

4. A can opener comprising a channel section frame structure having spaced upper and lower plates connected by a back web, said plates and web being extended at one end to form a grip, said upper plate being offset inwardly adjacent the web edge thereof to provide a shoulder and a deck portion, the latter extending substantially parallel to and in spaced relation to said lower plate, a cutter mounted on said plate between the web and offset, and extending over said deck a distance sufiicient to pierce the disk end of a can when a portion of the rim thereof abuts said shoulder, a shaft journaled on the lower plate and projecting through said deck, and having a knurled feed disk on its upper end adapted to engage the under face of a can rim shoulder, said disk being located below the plane of said cutter with the periphery thereof closely adjacent thereto, a guide slot in said upper deck through which said shaft extends providing for movement of the periphery of said disk from a position free of said cutter to a position beneath said cutter, a ratchet wheel mounted on said shaft between said plates, a lever pivoted between said plates at the other end and having a grip extending alongside of said first-named grip, and a ratchet drive link carried by said lever and engaging said ratchet wheel.

5. A can opener comprising a frame structure having spaced upper and lower plates, a shoulder formed along the edge of said upper plate, a cutter having a puncturing point mounted adjacent said shoulder and projecting over said plate, a distance suflicient to pierce the disk end of a can when a portion of the rim thereof abuts said shoulder, a shaft journaled on the lower plate and projecting through said upper plate, and having a knurled feed disk on its upper end adapted to engage the under face of a can rim shoulder, said disk being located below the plane of said cutter with the periphery thereof closely adjacent thereto, a guide slot in said upper deck through which said shaft extends providing for movement of the periphery of said disk from a position free of said cutter to a position beneath said cutter, said slot extending diagonally with respect to a line through said point and shaft, means for stepwise rotating said disk, and means for preventing reverse rotation of said disk.

6. A can opener comprising a frame structure having spaced upper and lower plates, a shoulder formed along the edge of said upper plate, a cutter mounted adjacent said shoulder and projecting over said plate a distance sufficient to pierce the disk end of a can when a portion of the rim thereof abuts said shoulder, a shaft journaled on the lower plate and projecting through said upper plate, and having a knurled feed disk on its upper end adapted to engage the under face of a can rim shoulder, said disk being located below the plane of said cutter with the periphery thereof closely adjacent thereto, a diagonal guide slot in said upper deck through which said shaft extends providing for movement of the periphery of said disk from a position free of said cutter to a position beneath said cutter, manually operable lever means associated with said frame, ratchet drive means for said feed disk actuated by said lever means for applying stepwise rotation to said disk, and means for preventing reverse rotation of said feed disk.

7. A can opener comprising a frame having a shoulder for engaging the end rim of a can and a guide for engaging the side wall of the can, a cutter mounted on said frame adapted to pierce the end of said can inside of the rim thereof, a can feeding disk, a shaft for rockably supporting said disk in said frame for movement from a position free of said cutter to a position beneath said cutter, said frame having spaced bearings for said shaft, one of said bearings acting as a bearing for the end of said shaft, and the other being a slot and adapted to guide the rocking movement of said shaft intermediate its end, said disk being adapted to engage the under face of a can rim shoulder, manually operable reciprocal means carried by said frame, ratchet drive means for rotating said disk step by step in response to movement of said manually operable means, and means for preventing reverse rotation of said disk.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hoffman Sept. 14, 1926 McPhee June 12, 1928 Davis July 24, 1928 Bruneau Nov. 27, 1928 

